Being Yourself

[Frank McBride]

I've been mulling whether going under my true name is a mistake. Now I see Joe Teposte mentioning some of his postings coming back to haunt him. I try to use common sense in what I write, realizing it is linked to me, but how much trouble can that cause? How much trouble HAS it caused others?

I like being "real" because I think it shows I stand behind what I say. What do you think? Why do you or don't you use your real name?

FMc

[backfocus5]

There is nothing wrong with standing behind what you say. Unfortunately, we now live in such a PC society that ANYTHING you say can be taken out of context.

I never use my real name. But I always leave a link to my private email so I can defend myself if I offend anyone.

[Dirge]

Why do you or don't you use your real name?


Tradition. This is the internet. The guys who first used the internet for non-military or non-educational purposes had handles in order to keep from getting busted (abusing computer privilages). Why fly in the face of that?
Anything you put on the internet will come back to haunt you.
Even though I’ve been knighted and I earned my Phd, my real name still sounds dorky.
I get to relive the golden days of citizens’ band radio this way.
How much trouble HAS it caused others?

Just ask Matt. (http://www.nbc10.com/news/6667658/detail.html)

Seriously, who DOESN’T play the Google or MySpace game?

[Birdy]

To close friends and family, this is what they call me every day. I respond to it as easily as my given name. But on the internet, it's just another anonymous handle. Guess I've sort of got the best of both worlds.

I stand behind what I say no matter if I use my given name or my nickname/handle. It has nothing to do with my integrity. If anything, using a handle makes me harder to find for those who may want to hire me.

[Chris Kittinger]

I have been using my real name for a while now.

I started because I was defending a show I worked on from some moron on Medialine. At the time my id was dckitt, which is simply my e-mail address minus the at yahoo part. So this jackass posts my name, saying something along the lines of "Ladies and gentlemen, I present Chris Kittinger, employee of The Daily Buzz."

So I went ahead and changed my id to Kittinger, and later changed it to Chris Kittinger. I am not sure what he thought he would accomplish, because I had said before on that board that I worked for the show. Oh well, whatever.

I figure that if I use my real name I will treat people like I do in real life. Which hopefully is a good thing. And I find that it is too easy for the trolls to hide behind usernames. That being said I don't have anything against those who don't use their real names. I guess it is just a personal choice.

The only real concern I have with using my real name is idenity theft, but I go by my middle name anyways, so I don't think that would be a problem.

[photogguy]

I don't use my real name, but with just a bit of research, my identity could be figured out (I outed myself with a particular post about four years ago...I blasted some decision making at the competition, and felt I needed to sign the post, not to mention my blog that is linked to on my posts).

That said, I tend to be little circumspect about what I post, and actually don't post all that often.

For times when I'm really riled up about a topic, and want to speak my mind, I have an alter-alterego I post under. No, I'm not telling you.

The big thing to think about posting anywhere on the web is CYA. Be smart about what you post, and you probably won't get into (too) much trouble.

[Widescreen]

Australia is damn big, but TV is small. 5 networks across the Country and some regional affiliates in between.

I am well known at my network and I would be easily identified, although b-roll is not a big ticket item here on the net. We were converting to Widescreen at the time of joining so thats what I chose because everyone else seemed to have an alias.

I now use it for my blog and if anyone wants to PM me or via my email and shows a name then I may respond in kind.

I do not care to much what others at work think, as I dont slag my network or specific individuals, and when I have, I do not identify. I just err on the side of caution.

[Lensmith]

My name is at the bottom of my posts but, in today's world, there are lots of good reasons for people to not want to post their names.

Credibility.

In some ways you get more using your name but, if I was living in the states, I would probably duck back under "Lensmith" and not have my name in my sig.

Since I work where I do, using my real name was one way for people to know I wasn't some high school kid in Kansas playing at being a photog in Central America.

I also use my name because of the many friends I have all over the place who find their way to B-Roll Online, see some of my thoughts and drop me a quick note to catch up.

I call that the "lonely guy" reason.

I do miss speaking and thinking in English and, like many of you, it's hard to keep in touch with good friends whom I don't want to lose.

Do what makes you feel safe. Many poster here are well respected and don't use their real name. Some will try and throw the stone about a poster lacking credibility and "hiding". That's unfair to many who spend the time sharing what they've learned.

Be safe and be smart.

[2gigch1]

Much of what I dislike about the internet is due to anonymity: the personal attacks, vile behavior, etc. As such I decided to assume in my interactions that people know me and I communicate accordingly.

Although discretion deems this is the only site where I actually identify myself by name.

Really, if you keep your behaviour in check online you should not have to worry about repercussions. Don't write anything online you would not say to a person's face.

[queen of blue]

Anybody who needs to know who I am, does. In fact .... many people who do NOT need to know who I am do as well. If you really wanted to know who I am, a little research on this board will tell you everything you need to know to show up on my office doorstep, if not at my actual HOUSE.

I can't say I hide behind my name, I picked it because I thought it was humorous, and a reporter called me that once when I was trying to get the hang of white balancing DVCPro. Needless to say, it took a while. Being so accessable has been a little unpleasant for me, as I had some episodes at my former station here that would keep me from working for them again, or from encouraging others to do so. I am nothing more or less than totally honest when I answer those questions. Judging by the reaction of the ND the last time I ran into her, somebody has ratted me out. It was tense, to say the least. But she knew how I felt about every situation that I've discussed here - and she should know me well enough to know that I wouldn't pull any punches if somebody asked.

Has it come back to bite me? No, I wouldn't say that. But I think it's probably a chinch that I'll never work in news in this town again. I suspect my honesty has branded me a "traitor."

Quite frankly that's ok, because I wouldn't really want to work for anybody who held against me the fact that I threw a fit about being ordered to keep a live shot up with visable lightning .... and I'll keep telling that story to anybody who will ask. (I WILL until they change their ACTUAL policies and environment rather than giving lip service to it.) The people at this station are great, but the philosophies need a little work.

[Eaglewolf]

Quite frankly that's ok, because I wouldn't really want to work for anybody who held against me the fact that I threw a fit about being ordered to keep a live shot up with visable lightning .... and I'll keep telling that story to anybody who will ask. (I WILL until they change their ACTUAL policies and environment rather than giving lip service to it.) The people at this station are great, but the philosophies need a little work.

I am VERY curious what station would insist that you continue live during an electrical storm, so none of us make the mistake in applying there. HOW'S Ft Worth?

[Mighty Dyckerson]

I don't use my real name. I use someone else's real name. That way all my sh*t gets blamed on them.

[cameragod]

I’ve been thinking about losing the cameragod name as it was meant as a joke but some people seem to think I’m being serious. Plus the Steadicam forum will now only accept post under people’s real names.
But then something happened. You may have seen me post that I was in a 48hour film competition recently. I posted on their forum as cameragod but with my name on the signature. I started getting phonecalls from people claiming to be team members unhappy with the competition. They told me some disturbing things that they claimed had been happening and wanted my support in confronting the competition organisers. I wasn’t interested. I had had a very positive experience but some of what they were telling me was upsetting to hear.
Then I a call from a girl calling herself Jane to tell me she was part of a performance art group. Apparently they have been calling a few people and trying to get them to “blowup” on the forum. While they were a bit disappointed by my not going nuts they wanted to thank me for my participation and for being a good sport… a dark ally and a pair of pliers and I’ll show them good sport.
Now I’m thinking I should stick to just cameragod.

[Just Wondering]

Without being philisophical....tact, diplomacy and just not bein' a jerk will go a long,long way.

[Spacey]

A few of you know my true identity, in a post long forgotten in the past (and perhaps it should stay that way). I considered leaving the board when many patronized me, posing that my "knowledge" was useless due to the position I was in. I decided that the information on this board is invaluable, as it still contributes to the position I am in.

What does this all lead up to? If you knew my true identity, odds are you would begin to ignore what I say. Believe it or not, some of the most unsuspecting people can surprise you. Like Lenslinger (who is public with is identity) - when posting about events, I do shape certain names or setting, but that the idea and meaning still shines through. All to protect the innocent and undeserving of a rant.

And by the way, PM me if you would really like to know.

[SeattleShooter]

I don’t care. If people want to judge me on what I post then they are the ones with the problems.

I have posted on other names so I can get some answers to something I don’t want my boss or others to read and see that it is me. But I dont do that much. Other then that...I just dont care.

[Dude Lebowski]

I don't log under my real name, because I don't want my bosses to know what all I'm talking about. They do cruise the sites that they know I love, and this is one of them. But I see nothing wrong with it, as long as you're honest & tactful, I have no problems. Keep it up dude...

[ewink]

I use my real name (it's at the bottom) as I state what I am thinking, and I stand by that.

I'd find irony in my station firing me for anything I say, and would probably make a great story for my blog (http://otakuphotog.douglasavenue.com)! :)

That said, I usually refrain from commenting on anything that might get me in trouble, as I refuse to use a faux name.

Anonymity has its benefits, though. But it's not for me. I get a kick out of meeting new photogs and hearing them say 'Dude, you're a moron!'

(Is it wrong to be proud of moroninity?)